Customer Reviews

Cuisipro Donvier Electronic Yogurt Maker

5 star:		(131)
4 star:		(39)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(16)
1 star:		(19)

 

 

After reading Mirielle Guiliano's memoir about food, entitled "French Women Don't Get Fat" and feeling annoyance over the loss of Total Greek Yogurt on the shelves of my local Whole Food (this is temporary), I decided to buy this yogurt maker and simply make my own.
The procedure is a simple one; heat some milk until bubbles appear on the side of the pan and steam actually rises; take off the stove and pop in the included thermometer. When the milk temperature lowers to a specific window indicated on the thermometer, add some milk to 2 tablespoons of purchased plain yogurt or yogurt starter. Mix and then add to the milk in the pan.
As the yogurt maker has slots for 8 containters with lids, simply pour an equal amount of the milk from the pan, put on the lids, cover the yogurt maker and plug the machine in.
The machine sits on a counter; I advise parking it in a place where the digital controls are not interferred with as just one little push will turn the whole thing off. I set my yogurt to "cook" for 14 hours. The result: Great consistancy and flavor that matches store bought without the preservatives and other additives.
The machine includes includes instructions on how to make flavored yogurt; it seems simple, but I have not tried it.
Bottom line: this machine does the trick with little or no fuss. I also purchased the yogurt cheese maker which will allow me to turn my homemade yogurt into a spread that I can use on bread in the AM. Doesn't get any better!

I must admit, I was skeptical. Over the years, I've eaten so much yogurt; in the last two years, I've switched to plain yogurt as most others have so much sugar. It's hard to find plain yogurt that tastes great--both the taste and the texture have to be just so. The best-tasting option I've found is a brand sold at Whole Foods; it's expensive, and it seems that the full-fat version is the only kind with the right texture.

When I read the book "French Girls Don't Get Fat", I thought I'd give homemade yogurt a try and save a little money (sort of like buying an espresso machine, rather than buying a $3 latte at Starbucks every day!)

Yesterday I made my first batch with the Donvier Yogurt Maker. First of all, it's SO simple. Three ingredients: Milk, milk powder, and starter (I used 2T of my regular brand). Four simple steps:

1. Stir the milk powder into the milk (I used non-fat milk, and the non-fat milk powder makes the yogurt creamier)
2. Heat the milk until it almost boils
3. Cool the milk till it reaches 110--simple to gauge, using the thermometer included with the machine--then add the starter
4. Pour into the cups, and let the machine do its work!

I mixed the batch up in the morning, and by the evening I could move the cups to the fridge to chill. This morning I was treated to fresh yogurt; the creamiest, freshest tasting yogurt I've ever had, and it was non-fat with NO additives!

I highly recommend this machine. If you like yogurt, you'll love what you can make at home with the Donvier!

I recently purchased the DONVIER after reading the French diet book. Like another reviewer...I too use whole organic milk. I do not heat the milk on the stove in a pan...too messy. What I do instead is to put all of the milk into a large Pyrex measuring cup, pop it in the microwave for 6 minutes and it is ready to go. I did not buy the starter, instead, I use a couple of teaspoons from the last jar that I am going to use, whisk it all in the Pyrex, double check the temp. and pour it into the cups.

This yogurt maker gives poor results. I used whole milk and added milk powder, as the booklet suggests. It heated it to nearly boiling, cooled it to the suggested temp with the thermometer supplied, added in the powdered yogurt culture that came with the machine, and cooked it in the little cups for 12 hours. All very easy to do. In the end, I had four cups of decent yogurt from the middle pots, and four cups of liquid from the outer ones. It appears that the machine's main problem is too low a temperature, and even lower temps on the outer parts of the machine.

Also, the recipe calls for 1 quart of milk, and that only half fills the little cups.

I'm going to try making yogurt in my toaster oven, which has a 100F setting, and see how that works. I'm disappointed that this little machine doesn't do the one thing it's supposed to do - heat the 8 cups and produce yogurt after 10 hours.

Edited August 2008: I have been successfully making yogurt in my regular oven, by mixing 1 1/2 quart milk and a 1/2 cup Activia yogurt as the original starter culture, then filling small Rubbermaid snack cups and putting on the lids. I use only the oven light and leave the cups overnight (6-8 hours). Excellent yogurt, easy to make, and without any more appliances cluttering up my kitchen. I keep my starter going by using the last cup of my homemade yogurt mixed into milk for the next batch.

I cannot say enough good things about this item, even though I purchased it somewhat tentatively and my husband thought it would be the next big white elephant. I decided on this product as it seemed to offer a few extras for slightly more cost (thermometer, timer, etc.). I have been making yogurt every week since however and it could not be easier, fresher or better tasting. I have followed the directions included with the maker and have not had any problems (organic skim milk, organic milk powder and yogurt as starter. Heat milk in microwave 8 minutes, "cook" in maker for 10 1/2 hours). The yogurt is firm, I think comparable to American store versions. My four year old eats it on his cereal instead of milk and asks for it for snacks, eating right out of the container. I also purchased the additional set of yogurt cups so I could make a new batch while still eating the rest.
I would like to add I am not an organic go-getter. We've recently been making some changes based on a general concern for how often we are exposed to chemicals, etc. in our and our children's lives. The yogurt maker has given us one more way to feel secure in and expand our choices. Enjoy!

This works, certainly, so I'll only discuss a few points.

Containers:
The individual portions are helpful for packing in lunches (I had considered the cheaper, 1-qt. container model). But, the cups are a troublesome to clean, since they are quite narrow. I've tried the dishwasher, but it doesn't get all the yogurt off the bottom. So I handwash. Not a big deal, but maybe a dealbreaker for some.

Recipe: the directions in the package make about 1 qt., which leaves the portions a bit puny. I tried doubling it, didn't work, but now I settled on a 1 qt. plus 1 cup quantity that works great.

Everyone has their own preferences for the end product, but here's my version: For my first batch, I use 3 tbs. of an all-natural store-bought yogurt containing L. Acidophilus, L. Bulgaricus, and B. Bifidum. I use 2 cups of fresh 1% milk and 3 cups water, and I (thoroughly) whisk in 1 cup nonfat dry milk powder. Then I follow the instructions for heating and cooling, and I cook it 10 hours.

For my next 2-3 batches, I use half a container from the previous batch as a starter and increase the cooking time about half an hour. After the 3rd batch, it's too weak and doesn't set up right. So I start a new batch with the same store-bought yogurt (which I freeze in measured doses).

Results: well-set, slightly tangy yogurt, very fresh and nice. I didn't know if it'd be worth the bother, but I'm really glad I did.

We eat 2-3 cups per day each. Suffice it to say, I have since bought a second set of cups. I may need to buy a second machine, since I'm making yogurt 3 times a week now.

My main reason for hold back a star: maybe you don't need this. It's pricey (I found mine for half price), and there are a lot of instructions on the web and with Alton Brown that dont call for any special equipment and seem pretty easy. Then again, convenience is certainly worth something.

I love my yogurt maker! If you're one of those few unfortunate people who can't seem to make it work, maybe I can help. I have been using instant dry milk--any brand will do. (OR, you can use 4 cups of two-percent milk and mix in 1/2 cup instant dry milk. The instant dry milk seems to help it thicken.) I mixed 1 1/4 cups of instant dry milk into four cups of water. (Mix it in well, or you may have lumps.) I also heat the milk in the microwave for nine minutes instead of in a sauce pan on the stove. I've found that the temperature of the milk needs to be cooled to about 120 degrees before I can add the starter, not 110 to 115 as is printed in the instructions. (I use Dannon plain yogurt as a starter, and I add two heaping teaspoons instead of one.) Even though the thermometer included in the box works pretty well, I bought a candy thermometer, and it seems to work a lot better. I leave the milk and starter in the yogurt maker for 11 hours. It is thick and creamy! Once the yogurt has chilled in the refrigerator for approximately three hours, I remove it and add dry, flavored jello to taste. If you don't want sugar in your yogurt, you can add fruit or a number of other flavorings. It works like a charm! I've never tasted such great yogurt! I'd recommend this product to anyone!

After reading "French Women Don't Get Fat" I decided to start making my own yogurt. I actually fell in love with Greek Yogurt last year(purchased at Trader Joe's in CA) and wanted to try and make some of that too. So I ordered my Donvier and waited, and waited and waited. It took a while, but it finally came. It is easy to use. I did have one batch not go so well. I think I over heated the milk. I learned to make
Greek yogurt as well. You need a cheesecloth and a colander. Simply drain the liquid out of the yogurt for a few hours. It becomes richer and creamier than before and loses some of the sour tangy taste. I've actually grown fond of the tang of plain yogurt. I am now ordering the Donvier yogurt cheese maker. By the way, I use whole organic milk. We serve it over fresh fruit, in bowls with granola, and with spicy foods like curries. It also helps my lactose intolerant husband keep his stomach in good running order. He feels better with a daily yogurt. Yogurt is incredibly healthy for you, as long as you skip all the sugar and chemicals that food manufacturers add into it. I highly reccommend this machine. I have made yogurt before without the machine, but it was much less convenient. One hint: if you have a large family, go ahead and order the extra jars right away. All the yogurt gets eaten quickly, then I wash the jars and lids and have to wait another 10 hours for more. I'm ordering the extra set of jars and lids so I can make more before the first batch is all gone! Bon Apetite!

I had been wanting to purchase the Donvier yogurt maker since reading "French Women Don't Get Fat", but I wasn't sure that I wanted to get another appliance. I finally took the plunge, and I'm very glad I did - so is my husband.

I heated up a quart of organic 2% milk until I saw bubbles form at the edge of the pan. I poured the milk into a bowl that has a handle and a pouring spout. At this point, I added some nonfat milk powder, so that the yogurt would be firmer (a trick I learned when I used to make my own in a big jar). Stuck in the thermometer, and added a heaping tablespoon of plain Dannon yogurt when the red mark reached the "add starter" window. Then I poured it into the individual cups, and set the machine for 12 hours. The yogurt was perfect - nice and firm. There was just a bit of liquid on the top, and I just poured that off.

One thing that I would do differently is to use 1 and 1/2 quarts of milk, instead of 1 quart. A full six cups of milk would give you 8 servings of 6 ounces each, enough to fill all of the containers.

I really like the individual containers, as I usually take yogurt to work with me for breakfast. I can just pop one into my bag. It also cuts down on the amount of whey that seeps out when you take an individual serving out of a big container of yogurt, which then tends to dry out the yogurt.

I think I will end up saving quite a bit of money with this machine. I also like the fact that I can control exactly what goes into my yogurt.

TERRIFIC! I, too, read the French Woman book, but that wasn't my only reason for buying a Donvier. I have been wanting to try making homemade yogurt for (as much as I hate to admit it) several decades.

As soon as I could after receiving the machine, I tried out back-to-back versions: one with commercial Donvier starter, and one with active-yogurt from a local dairy. Both turned out great... the commercial starter was more firm and sharper, the local dairy was softer in both taste and texture. I LOVE both, and will enjoy playing with my "formula" until I get it -- as the Baby Bear said -- "j-u-s-t r-i-g-h-t!"

I highly recommend this to any and everyone who wants the very best, freshest yogurt possible.